Bobby Theisen Park

A strong and cold north wind was all that remained today of yesterday's rain. The front has passed to the south and the wind is filling in behind. The air is crisp and remarkably blue. I was trying to find a new vantage point to photograph the Shoreview water tower to emphasize the blueness of the sky when I instead found this. Those are two of the Shoreview transmission towers viewed from the bottom end of Bobby Theisen Park.There are soccer fields there and tennis courts. The tennis courts were the scene of an epic battle on a hot August day in 1997 when the softball team's number 1 and number 2 hitters (uniform numbers 1 and 4) squared off in a sport which was a little alien to both of them.

Most of the tournament was played at Mounds View High School but some of the youth singles got moved to this other Shoreview park. As I recall the loser of the match had to play our number 3 hitter (uniform number 7) for this piece of hardware.The winner of the Bobby Theisen match lost in the finals of the tournament but skulked away with the runner-up trophy, an accomplishment that probably emboldened her to continue her tennis career. Eventually as a senior in high school she played on the varsity tennis team, a team which was captained by the third place finisher that day in 1997.

There, good story, no names. But all of those in the story will have no problem whatsoever recognizing themselves.

Happy Birthday to TOPWLH.